Time coding means for transit tickets



Nov. 1, 1966 H. 1.. LESTER 'ETAL 3,282,383

TIME CODING MEANS FOR TRANSIT TICKETS Filed Sept. 18, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I A B C nu F. F 2225 5a M B c u E F w 3 22; Ea fl ADUCDEFAHQ *5 ABCDEF Nov. 1, 1966 H. LESTER ETAL TIME CODING MEANS FOR TRANSITTICKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1965 AB C D EF F E D N. N C .MBHA ABCDEC.

United States Patent 3,282,388 TIME CODING MEANS FOR TRANSIT TICKETSHoward L. Lester, Alplaus, and Dallas E. Cain, Scotia,

N.Y., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkFiled Sept. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 309,730 6 Claims. (Cl. 194-4) Thisinvention relates to transit tickets for use in automatic farecollection systems and, more particularly, to a time coding means fortransit tickets.

Much interest has been expressed in recent years in rapid transitsystems for moving a maximum amount of people in a minimum amount oftime and space. The interest in these systems is increasing due to thegrowth of suburban communities surrounding large cities and thenecessity of moving people from these communities into and out of suchcities, as well as moving the people within the cities. Further, trafficcongestion in and around such cities has become an increasing problem,making it necessary to provide for greater use of rapid transit systems.

Most transit systems use either a single fare structure or a zoned farestructure. In a single fare structure the customer may enter the systemat any station upon payment of the single fare and may travel to anyother station within the system. In a zoned fare structure the customernormally must purchase a special ticket which is generally only usablefrom the station where purchased to another specified station of thesystem. Of course, it is understood that many times tickets may bepurchased at some central location for use in various stations on thesystem. The zoned fare structure is more complicated and costly toadminister than is the single fare structure because it requires aplurality of tickets, a plurality of offices for issuing such tickets,and transit system personnel, such as conductors, to be certain that aticket is properly used, that is, that the customer has paid the properfare for a trip taken.

It has become increasingly evident that there is a need for a zoned tarestructure which requires each customer to pay according to his use ofthe transit system. It is also necessary to provide a zoned farestructure that is easy for the customer to use and which is as automaticas possible. Preferably, it should be similar to a single fare structurein order to reduce the cost of operation as much as possible and to makeit as easy as possible for the customer to utilize such transit system.

It has been proposed to provide a transit system using tickets andspecial types of turnstiles to provide for automatic fare collection ofa zoned fare structure. To make the system as simple, reliable andeconomical as possible, it is proposed to provide a complete farestructure on the tickets thus requiring a minimum amount of logic in theturnstiles of the system. This type of system is described and claimedin Patent application Serial No. 305,101, filed August 28, 1963, nowPatent No. 3,212,615, issued October 19, 1965 in the name of Martin W.Hellar for Automatic Fare Collection System for Rapid Transit Systems,and which is assigned to the same assignee as this application. A uniquetransit ticket, including a complete fare structure code according tothe value of the ticket, which may be used in the automatic farecollection system of the Hellar application is disclosed and claimed inpatent application Serial No. 305,102, for Transit Ticket Having FareCoding Means tor Automatic Fare Collection Systems, filed August 28,1963, now abandoned in favor of continuous application Serial No.516,826, filed 'November 26, 1965, in the name of Thomas P. Good-manwhich is assigned to the same assignee as this application. Thisinvention relates to an 3,282,388 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 improved timecoding means which is especially useful in the transit ticket of theGoodman application. As is discussed in the Goodman application, it isdesirable to provide a time coding means on transit tickets to providethe necessary system security and to prevent ticket changing and othermisuse of tickets in the automatic fare collection system. Thisapplication provides a time coding means which may be provided on thetransit ticket and which may be readily encoded and decoded by theautomatic fare collection system. Further, the time encoding means ofthis invention provides a simple, economical and reliable time codingmeans to insure the security of the automatic fare collection system.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a time coding meansfor a transit ticket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a time coding means fora transit ticket which may be readily en coded and decoded by anautomatic fare collection system.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a transit tickethaving a time coding means utilizing magnetic material which is simple,reliable and economical to manufacture and use.

Briefly, in one form this invention comprises a transit ticket providedwith a time coding means of magnetic material thereon. The time codingmeans comprises a pair of areas for magn'etizable material. One area,which may be a strip or the like, is completely filled with magnetizablematerial, While the second area contain-s a number of portions ofmagnetiza ble material in accordance with the allowable elapsed time forthe permissible trip for which the ticket is issued. The areas ofmagnetizable material will be readily magnetized for encoding anddecoding with time indications by portions of the automatic 'farecollection system to prevent misuse of the fare collection system.

The invention which is sought to be protected will be particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims appended hereto.However, it is believed that the invention will be better understood andthe manner in which its various objects and advantages are obtained, aswell as other objects and advantages thereof, from a consideration ofthe following description of preferred embodiments thereof, especiallywhen considered in con nection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a transit system with which theinvention finds particular application;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of one form of ticket showing a preferred formof this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a modified ticket showing a modified form ofthis invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the form of ticket shown in FIG. 2 showing afurther modified form of this invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the form of ticket shown in FIG. 3 showingstill another form of this invention.

This invention relates to a time coding means for a transit ticket whichmay be utilized in automatic fare collection on rapid transit systems.The invention will be described with particular reference to a transitsystem such as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and with reference to aparticular type of transit ticket. However, it will be understood thatthe description is for illustrative purposes only and should not beconsidered as a limiting feature of the invention.

Considering first FIG. 1, there is shown a diagrammatic view of one formof transit system on which the time coding means of this invention maybe used. As shown in FIG. 1, the transit system comprises a plurality ofstations indicated as A, B, C, D, E and F which are connected, forexample, by a track means 12 which may be of any length between thevarious stations. For purposes of description it will be assumed thatthis system has stations which are so spaced that approximately the sameamount of time is required between each of the stations of the system.For example, it will be assumed that under normal circumstances theelapsed time for a normal trip between stations A and B will beapproximately ten minutes. Further, for purposes of description it willbe assumed that trains run at sufficient frequency such that normallyfifteen minutes to twenty minutes elapsed time will be sufficient to gobetween any two adjacent stations on the system. Thu a normal trip fromstation A to station B would be completed within a twenty minute period,while a trip from station A to station D would normally be completed ina forty minute period and the trip from station A to station F wouldnormally be completed within sixty minutes.

In considering the system of FIG. 1, and in order to provide for theautomatic collection of the required fare between the various stationsin the system, an automatic fare collection system such as is set forthin the abovementioned application Serial No. 305,101 of Martin W. Hellarmay be used. Further, the ticket for such fare collection system may bethe ticket such as is disclosed in application Serial No. 305,102 nowcontinuation ap- 1 plication Serial No. 516,826 of Thomas P. Goodman.The time coding system of this invention will find especial utility withreference to the ticket of the Goodman application when used in theautomatic fare collection system of the Hellar application.

FIGURE 2 of this application shows one form of transit ticket utilizinga matrix as set forth in the Goodman application, and being providedwith one form of time coding means in accordance with the provisions ofthis application. The ticket shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings may be usedin an automatic fare collection system on a transit system such as thatshown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 three tickets are shown, each one beingidentical as far as the outward physical dimensions are concerned.However, each ticket is designated for a different trip on transitsystem 10 and, therefore, is provided with a different matrix and with adilferent time coding means. For example, ticket is an example of aminimum fare ticket which may be used between any two adjacent stationson the transit system 10. Ticket 20 is provided with a fare structurematrix 22 which is specifically coded for the minimum fare ticket. Asshown, the matrix 22 comprises a plurality of columns and rows; onecolumn and one row for each station. The matrix as shown is printed withmagnetizable ink in the various rows and columns to provide all possiblerides on the system 10 for the fare value of the ticket.

The ticket according to the invention will be placed in a slot in anentrance turnstile to gain admission to the transit system 10. To insureproper orientation of the ticket in the turnstile one edge of the ticketmay be cut, in the manner indicated in the drawings. When the ticket isplaced in the turnstile slot a magnetic head would be utilized tomagnetize all magnetic squares in the column corresponding to theentrance station in the manner set forth in the Goodman application. Inusing the time encoding means of this invention, when the ticket isplaced in the turnstile slot a second magnetizing head will be used tomagnetize each of the areas of the time coding means set forth in theinvention.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, on the ticket 20, the magnetizableareas comprise two strips or rows 24, 26 which will be used in the timecoding means of this invention. The row 24 is indicated as beingcompletely filled with magnetic material, and the row 26 is shown asbeing divided into four equal portions. According to the invention asshown in FIG. 2, row 24 of magnetizable material will be magnetized by amagnetic head in the automatic turnstile of the automatic collectionsystem. When it is inserted in the slot of the turnstile the Imagnetizableline 24 will be magnetized with a time code indicating thepresent time of entry into the transit system plus a specified alapsedtime, for example, thirty minutes. Thus the line 24 will be encoded witha time indication which will indicate the present time of entry into thesystem plus an additional thirty minutes. Thus, if the ticket werepresented to the turnstile'at 9 A.M. then the line 24 would be codedwith an indication of the time 9:30 A.M. For the minimum fare ticketthere would be no magnetizable portions in the line 26 inasmuch as forthe minimum fare ticket between any two stations on the system theelapsed time set into the line 24 will be sufficient for time betweenany two stations of the system.

Still considering FIG. 2, there is also shown a ticket indicated at 30having a matrix 32 which is similarly provided with time code lines 34and 36. The ticket 30 as shown is a ticket such as will allow passage onthe transit system 10 between any alternate stations in the system, thatis, it will allow transit from station A to station C, station B tostation D, etc. As shown, the time line 34 is completely filled withmagnetic material, while time line 36 is shown as having one of the fourportions, such as squares, filled with magnetic material. When theticket 30 is placed into the entrance turnstile the time line 34 isprovided with the present time of entry plus an allowed time of thirtyminutes and the one magnetizable square in time line 36 is alsomagnetized which will indicate a further elapsed time period such as,for example, an additional fifteen minutes. Thus by means of the timeline 34 and 36 of ticket 30 the patron will be allowed a total offorty-five minutes to make his trip between any two alternate stationsof the system.

In a similar manner the ticket 40 of FIG. 2 being provided with thematrix 42 has time lines 44 and 46. Again, as previously indicated timeline 44 is completely filled with magnetic material while in thisinstance time line 46 will have two of its squares filled with magneticmaterial. The ticket 40 is one utilized for a trip between any threestations of the system, that is, between stations A and D, stations Band E, and similar. Thus the time line 44 will provide for an elapsedtime of thirty minutes and, additionally, time line 46 will provide twofurther magnetized squares, each of which indicate an additional elapsedtime of fifteen minutes. Thus, the ticket 40 will allow the patron sixtyminutes to make his trip between any of the three stations on thesystem. Clearly, as will be apparent from the above, for trips betweenstations A toE for example a ticket would be provided in which thesecond time line had three squares magnetized to allow a total ofelapsed time of an hour and fifteen minutes, while for trips fromstations A to F the fourth square would be magnetized, allowing a totalof elapsed time of an hour and thirty minutes. Thus, as will be apparentfrom the above by means of the main time line, such as 24, whichprovides for the elapsed time between an entrance station and anyadjacent exiting station, and the second time line, which is providedwith four separate portions which may be provided with magnetizablematerial, the time lines may provide a simple and reliable indication ofthe total elapsed time allowed a patron for any given trip Within thetransit system. Of course, it will be apparent that the time line of theticket shown in FIG. 2 may be extended as necessary in accordance withthe total number of stations in the system. As is shown for example,there are four possible magnetizable squares in the second time line,indicated at 26, for use in a system having six stations. Obviously,were there ten stations the time line 26 could be provided with a totalpossibility of eight magnetizable portions, such as squares. Of course,the time element allowed in the main or first time line 24 and thesecond time line 26 will depend upon the particular distance between thestations of the transit system and the total allowed time believednecessary to allow a patron to comfortably complete any trip for whichthe fare has been paid.

FIG. 3 of the drawing shows a ticket 50 having a different type ofmatrix 52 and which is provided with time lines 54 and 56 which areprovided in line on the one portion of the ticket rather than being oneover the other in the manner disclosed in FIG. 2. Obviously, there willbe no difference in the manner of using the time lines 54 and 56. Forexample, in FIG. 3 the ticket 50 is indicated as a ticket good betweenany alternate stations such as, for example, stations A to C. Therefore,as shown, the time line 56 is provided with a single magnetizable squaresuch that when the time line 54 is magnetized with the first elapsedtime period and the one magnetic square 56 is magnetized with theadditional fifteen minutes then a total elapsed time of forty-fiveminutes will be provided on the ticket 50 for allowance of a tripbetween any alternate stations on the system.

Considering now FIG. 4 of the drawings there is shown therein transittickets utilizing time coding means in accordance with another form ofthis invention. The tickets shown in FIG. 4 are the same type of ticketas is shown in FIG. 2 and will be provided with the same numbers plus aprime indication. Thus there is shown a ticket having a matrix 22' and apair of time areas, shown as lines 24' and 26'. Ticket 20' is a minimumfare ticket similar to that shown in FIG. 2 and thus only a minimumamount of elapsed time is provided. As earlier indicated, consideringthat a comfortable trip may be made from stations A to B in any fifteenminute period the time lines 24' and 26' are designed to allow a fifteenminute elapsed time for any trip between adjacent stations of thetransit system 10. The time line 24 which is shown as completely coveredwith magnetizable material will be provided with a time coded indicationof the exact time of entry of the patron into the system. The time line26' is provided with six separate squares, each square when filled withmagnetizable material and magnetized providing an elapsed time offifteen minutes for each square. Inasmuch as ticket 20' is for a tripbetween adjacent stations which should take no more than fifteen minutesbetween stations, one square of 26' is filled with magnetic material.When the ticket 20' is inserted into the slot of the entrance turnstiletime line 24 will be provided with a time code indication of the actualtime of entrance and the single magnetizable square of time line 26 willbe magnetized to indicate an allowable time for the trip of fifteenminutes. In a similar manner ticket 30' provided with the time lines 34'and 36' will provide a total elapsed time of thirty minutes since two ofthe squares of time line 36' are coated With magnetic material. Theticket 40 provided with the time lines 44 and 46 will allow a totalelapsed time of forty-five minutes inasmuch as three of the squares ofthe time line 46 are provided with magnetizable material.

' FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 in that it utilizes the same type of timecoding system. However, as shown here, the ticket is 50, inasmuch as itis a similar type ticket to FIG. 3 and is provided with the time lines54' and 56'. As is shown the time line 54 is the same as the time lines24', 34 and 44 and is utilized to indicate the exact time of entry intothe system. Time line 56' is provided with the six magnetizable squaresand inasmuch as only two magnetizable squares are filled it will providea total allowed time of thirty minutes for a trip on the ticket 50. Ofcourse, it will be apparent that the time lines 54' and 56 are used inthe same fashion as the time lines of FIG. 4, the basic dilference beingthat the time lines are placed side-by-side on the card as shown ratherthan one above the other in the manner of the time lines in FIG. 4.

It will of course be understood that after the ticket has been presentedto the entrance turnstile and has been coded with the proper time code,as previously discussed either with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 or FIGS.4 and 5, the customer will take his ride between the stations inaccordance with the fare that has been paid. At the time of exit theticket will again be placed into a slot in the exit turnstile and theexit turnstile will compare the time of exit in accordance with thetotal allowed time for the trip. If the customer has made the tripwithin the allowed time, and the other requirements of the system havebeen met, then the patron will be allowed to leave the transit system.The checking of the time can be readily provided by means of comparingthe time indicated in the time line 44 or 44', for example, against thetime of exit. If the times do not compare then the various magnetizedsquares in the time lines, for example 46 and 46', are then added. Afterthe addition of the time indicated by each magnetized square the timethen can be compared with the present time and as soon as a coincidenceis obtained the comparison will stop. However, should the comparisoncomplete all of the magnetized squares and still not be in coincidencewith the present time then it would be apparent that the customer hasgone beyond the total elapsed time allowed for the ticket and would notbe allowed to exit from the system by means of the main turnstile. As isdiscussed in the Hellar application, the customer may then be requiredto go to a special turnstile which would then charge him in accordancewith the rules of the automatic fare collection system.

In the previous discussion it has been assumed that the various timeareas have been coated with a magnetizable material which will bemagnetized by the entrance turnstile. However, it will be apparent tothose skilled in this art that a magnetic material could be used thatwould not require magnetization by the entrance turnstile. For example,considering FIG. 4 and ticket 30, it will be apparent that time line 34could be of magnetic material which would be properly time coded, suchas with the time of entrance, by the entrance turnstile. The time line36' could have the indicated portions filled by a magnetic materialwhich would not be affected in any manner by the entrance turnstile.However, the exit turnstile would be able to detect the filled inportions of time line 36' and add the desired time increments to thetime coded in time line 34.

While there has been disclosed and described the present preferredembodiments of the time coding means of this invention it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made inthe particular embodiments described. For example, the particular areasand portions of the time coding means may be of any shape desired. Thetime coding may be as to actual hours of the day, or may be of anydesired code for indicating elapsed time. Those skilled in this art willreadily understand that these and other changes may be made Withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, as is set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed as new and which it is desired to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is:

1. A transit ticket provided with a time coding means comprising: aticket member; a pair of time areas on said ticket member, one of saidtime areas being completely coated with magnetizable material, the otherof said time areas being divided into parts and each of said parts beingcoated with magnetizable material according to an allowable time for atrip indicated by the transit ticket.

2. A transit ticket provided with a time coding means comprising: aticket member; a pair of time areas on said ticket member, one of saidtime areas being completely coated with magnetizable material, the otherof said time areas being divided into parts and each of said parts beingcoated with magnetic material according to an allowable time for a tripindicated by the ticket, said one area designed to be time coded with apredetermined time with respect to time of use of the ticket and saidparts coated with magnetizable material of said other area designed tobe time coded with predetermined additional increments of time.

3. A transit ticket having time coding means for use in an automaticfare collectioon system comprising: a ticket member; a pair of timeareas on said ticket member, one of said time areas being coated withmagnetizable material, the other of said time areas being divided intoparts and each of said parts being coated With magnetizable materialaccording to an allowable time for the class of ticket, the magnetizablematerial being readily encoded and decoded as to time by portions of theautomatic fare collection system.

4. A transit ticket having time coding means for use in an automaticfare collectioon system comprising: a ticket member, a pair of timeareas on said ticket member, one of said time areas being coated Withmagnetizable material, the other of said time areas being divided intoportions and each of said portions being coated With magnetizablematerial, according to an allowable time for the class of ticket, saidone area designed to be time coded by portions of said automatic farecollection system with a predetermined time With respect to the time ofuse of said ticket and said portions coated with magnetizable materialof said other area designed to be time coded by portions of saidautomatic fare collection system with predetermined additionalincrements of time.

5. A transit ticket provided with time coding means comprising: a ticketmember; a pair of time areas on said ticket member, one of said timeareas being completely coated with magnetic material, the other of saidtime areas being divided into portions, predetermined ones of saidportions being coated with magnetic material accord- 8 ing to anallowable time for a trip indicated by the transit ticket.

6. A transit ticket having time coding means for use in an automaticfare collection system comprising: a ticket member; a pair of time areason said ticket member, one of said time areas being coated With magneticmaterial, the other of said time areas being divided into portions,predetermined ones of said portions being coated With magnetic materialaccording to an allowable time for the class of ticket, said one areabeing designed to be time coded by portions of the automatic farecollection system with a time code indicative of the time of use of saidticket and said predetermined ones of said portions of said other areaproviding an indication of increments of time additional to said timecode indicative of the time of use.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,754,496 7/ 1956Embry et al.

2,794,864 6/1957 Noregaard 194-4 2,906,505 9/1959 Orr et al. 194-4FOREIGN PATENTS 1,098,165 1/1954 France.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner.

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TRANSIT TICKET PROVIDED WITH A TIME CODING MEANS COMPRISING: ATICKET MEMBER; A PAIR OF TIME AREAS ON SAID TICKET MEMBER, ONE OF SAIDTIME AREAS BEING COMPLETELY COATED WITH MAGNETIZABLE MATERIAL, THE OTHEROF SAID TIME AREAS BEING DIVIDED INTO PARTS AND EACH OF SAID PARTS BEINGCOATED WITH MAGNETIZABLE MATERIAL ACCORDING TO AN ALLOWABLE TIME FOR ATRIP INDICATED BY THE TRANSIT TICKET.